Thread or yarn guide



' Aug. 5, 1930. I F, ALZ 1,772,236

THREAD 0R YARN GUIDE.

Filed July 19 1928 V INVENTOR. Friedrich. A/z.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug 5, 1930 UNITED STATES,

FRIEDRICH ALZ, or PHILADELPHIA, PEN-'NSYLVANI'A THREAD on YARN GUIDE-Application filed July 19;

My invention has for its object certain improvements in thread or yarnguides suitable for textile machinery, and. more especially for use-withknitting machines for making" full-fashioned hosiery, whereby theoperative life of the guide is greatly increased, the

functioning of the guide is improved, great saving incost of repairs isassured,and the operation of the knitting machines is not interrupted'byreason of repairs being continually required to the thread guides, ashas beenthe case heretofore.

Prior to my invention, it has been customary to form the thread or yarnguides with body frames provided with porcelain eyes arranged at anangle to each other and through which the thread or yarn travels insuccession,

the metal of the frame adjacent to one of the eves being extended into aflat polished sur- 2 face over which the thread or yarn is caused totravel and upon which it is yieldingly pressed by a tension spring.Experience has shown that this action of the traveling thread.

or yarn upon the flatnietal guide surface causes a groove to be cuttherein, which in due time must be removed, this being accomplished, byfiling off and polishing the said led surface, and in that mannerrenewing the smoothness of the guidingsurface. This 3 filing downof themetal not only wears out. the metal of the guide, but also more or lessabrades the'porcelain eye, making it rough and .liable to injure thethread or yarn. To cure this latter defect, the porcelain eye itselfmust be replaced. All this repair work has to be repeated from time totime, with the resultant heavy cost in labor and the temporary idlenessof the machines.

By use of my improved thread and yarn guide, the above stateddifficulties are avoid: ed, because I eliminate entirely the use of theextended flat"- metal guide surface and all danger of injury to theporcelain guide eyelet. By reason of that fact the filing for repairsare made unnecessary.

More particularly, my im'ention comprises a suitable metal body and aporcelain or other vitrified thread or yarn guide, but so modified andreconstructed that the porcelain 1928. Serial no; 293,817.

eye has added thereto an extended guide surface or apron preferablyformed as an integral part thereof, and by reason of which the thread'or yarn is not permitted to come into contact with or be metal itself.1

My invention also embodies other'features of construction and these,together with those above enumerated, are fully described hereinafterand pointed out in the claims.

. Referringto the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a thread or yarn guide embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view'looking. down upon myimproved thread leaderor combined eyelet and fiat guide surface (removed from the body) Fig. 4is an nvertedperspective view of I the same; and

I Fig. 5 is a plan view with m improved leader or guide attached to theody frame and indicating in dotted lines its-capacity for adjustment.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein similar referencenumerals-dd. note similar parts, reference numeral 2 is the cast metalbody of the yarn guide and may be of the-usual or general form andprovided with a clamping screw 17, whereby it"may be clamped upon atransverse bar 16 by which it'is supported and moved. The body 2 may beprovided with the-two upwardy extending arms 3v and 4, both flanged attheir upper ends. The arm 3 has a transverse hole in which a porcelaineye 6 is placed and securedguided by the cast cored) and an extendedsurface 12 whichv may be ground to an approximately flat condition forthe reception of the guiding eyelet 9'with itsextended apron 10, asshown.

Referring moreparticularly to the thread or yarn guide eyelet and itsassociated parts, it will be seen from Figs. 2, 3 and 4, that I providea fiat guide apron 12 extending over the metal surface of the flange 5and made with an integral eyelet or cylindrical part 10 near one end andpierced with a guiding aperture 9, said part 10 projecting downward fromthe back or under surface. The

hole 8 in flange is slightly greater in diameter than the part 10 andthe latter is secured therein by shellac or other cement 7. When theeyelet, thus formed, is secured in position on the flange 5, the apron10 thereof the aperture of eyelet 6, whereas the surface of the apron 10is extended in a direction toward the said eyelet 6.

Definition: The term .hard smooth substance as used in the specificationandclaims lain or other vitreous thread guide.

The edge 11 of the apron is rounded and the upper end of the aperture 9,Where it meets the surface of the apron 10, is also curved or rounded toprovideasmooth guiding surface for the thread or yarn 19 as it travelsfirst through eye-6, then over the surface of the apron 10, and finallydown through aperture 9, as shown in a dot and dash line 19. While theupper guiding surface of the apron 1'0 and the walls of the aperture 9should be of a hard vitreous material and glossy, the back of the apronand outer wall ofv the part 10* may be unglazed so as to permit beingcemented more perfectly in position.

In Fig. 5, the guide apron 10 is shown in full lines in its normalposition, but is also shown in dotted lines, indicating its capacity foradjustmentabout the. eye aperture 9 as an axis. By this adjustment, theapron may be repositioned in case of any defect in its surface,irrespective of the cause. I When adjusted it would, be fixedly cementedin position. The capacity of this adjustment may also be utilized incasethe yarn was to be led.

to eye 9 from a lateral direction with respect to eye 6. I

13 is a tension spring secured to the arm 3 by screws 1 1, as shown, andhaving its free end 15 extended over the porcelain apron 10 and eye 9;and is adapted to have its tension removed at intervals by contact withthe rod 18, as has heretofore been the practice. The spring 13 is thinand tempered with a hard surface. and hence does not become abraded asdid the cast iron of theiiange 5.

With my improvement, the thread or yarn 19 travels over the porcelainapron 10 and because of its hard and glossy surface, there is notendency to cut or abradesaid surface, and consequently no grooves areformed therein and no repairsare necessary, unless the porcelain apronis injured by carelessness or is defective fromany cause. In the eventof uses, and I have arranged it in the associa- =or scope of theinvention.

repairs being required, it is only necessary to remove the eye 10and'with it the apron 10, and substitute a new porcelain part shown v inFigs. 3'and 4. The removal may be facilitated by applying heat to theflange 5 sufii- 7n cient to soften the shellac binder and permit theporcelain element to be readily removed without crushing it. A newporcelain eye and apron may thereupon be cemented in position, as shown.A repair of this character 7 would take few minutes to make, but as amatter of fact would seldom be required.

While I prefer to make the eye and apron of porcelain and highly glazed,the same may be made of other vitreous materials, such as glass.Furthermore, this eye and apron may be formed of hard sheetsteel'stamped to the proper shape and having its surface enameled. In asimilar manner, sheet steel stamped in the proper shape and highlypolished may be tempered to give it great hardnessand used in place ofthe porcelain or vitreous thread guide. I do not restrict myself to theparticular material employed for the apron and eye, but it should inall-cases present a harct and very smooth surface.

My improved thread or yarn leader, comprising the apron and eyelet, maybe employed in thread guides adapted for various tion shown by way ofexample only, the same being specially adapted for use withfullfashioned knitting machines.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and usefulconstruction which emm bodies the features of advantage enumerated asdesirable, and while I have in the present instance shown and describedthe preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice togive satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be. understood that Ido not restrict myself to the details, as the same are susceptible ofmodification in various particulars without departing from the spiritDefinition :The words thread and yarn are used as equivalents andsynonyms throughout the specification and claims.

Hayingthus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patl. A thread or yarn guide, comprising a support having anaperture through the same, combined with an apron portion having alaterally extending eye portion through 12" which eye .portion and overwhich apron the thread or yarn travels, said laterally extending eyeportion fitting through the aperture in the support, and the fiatguiding surface of the apron being very hard and having a high polish,combined with a flat tension spring parallel to the apron and adapted toclamp the thread or yarn upon said apron.

2. The invention according to claim 1,- wherein further, the apron isadjustable over the surface of the support with the eye portion actingas a pivotal axis for the adjustment and the parts united in adjustedfixed position by cement.

The herein described thread or yarn guide consisting of the combinationof a, frame having two arms, each of the said arms having a guide eyeformed therein, a vitreous yarn supporting and guiding member-carried byone of the said arms; and means for pressing the yarn carried by thesaid yarn guide against the said guiding and supporting member; the saidyarn supporting and guiding member consisting of a substantially flatapron yarn supporting and guiding'portion attached to the said armintermediate the said eyes. a laterally extending nodule having anaperture formed therein attached to the said apron portion and extendinginto and attached to I the walls of the said eye formed in the saidapron supporting arm, the apertures of the said two arm eyes beingarranged atan angle to each other and the plane of the said apron beingdirected toward the eye of the nonapron arm and acting to support thethread intermediate the said eye portions.

4. The herein described thread or yarn guide consisting of thecombination of a frame having a plurality of arms, each of said armshaving a guide eye formed therein, a yarn supporting and guiding apronhaving a thread bearing and guiding surface made of a hard, smoothsubstance carried by one of the said arms intermediate the said eyes andcontiguousto one ofsaid eyes, whereby a' smooth. easily renewablebearing surface is provided for the said thread intermediate the saideyes, and means for pressing the yarn carried by the said yarn guideagainst the said guiding and supporting member. v

5. The herein described thread or yarn guide for a flat bed knittingmachine consistingof the combination of aframe having a spring carryingarm, having a guide eye formed therein, and an apron arm havlng a guideeye formed therein a yarn supporting and guiding apron having a threadhearing and guiding surface made of a hard smooth substance intermediatethe said-eyes and contiguous the said apron arm eye carried by the saidapron arm, the said apron member having a laterally extending noduleformed thereon, the said nodule having a guide eye formed therein, thesaid nodule extending into and attached to the walls of the said eyeformed in the said apron arm: and a flat spring having one-end fixed tothe said spring arm and its free end extending over and normallypressing against the said varn supporting and guiding apron,

' 6. The herein described thread'or yarn guide for a flat bed knittingmachine consisting of the combination of a frame having-a springcarrying arm, having a guide arm against the diate the said eyes andcontiguous to the said apron arm eye, the plane of the said apron memberextending toward the said spring arm eye, the said apron member having alaterally extending nodule formed thereon, the said nodule having an eyeformed therein, the said nodule extending into and attached to the wallsof the said eye formed in the said apron arm; and a flat spring havingone end fixed to the said spring arm and its free end extending overand. normally pressing bearing and guiding surface of the said apronmember.

.7; As an article of manufacture an element for use as a guide and yarnsupporting apron in a yarn guide for textile machinery having aplurality of arms each having a guide eye formed therein through whichyarn is adapted to travel and means for clamping the said yarn,the saidapron consisting of a main guide member having an apron portion madeof ahard smooth substance over which the yarn is adapted to travel and. toform a bearing surface for the said clamping means, and a nodule, havingan aperture formed therein,- extending I laterally from the said apronmember, the said nodule being adapted to be inserted into andform anintegral partof one of the said eyes.

' therein through which yarn is adapted to travel the said eyes being atan angle to each other,-the said apron consisting of a substantiallyflat, apron guide and bearing portion over which thread is adapted totravel, and a nodule having a guide eye formed therein extendinglaterally from the said apron member, the said nodule being adapted tobeinserted into and form an integral part of one of the said arm guideeyes, the bearing surface of the said apron guide and nodule guide eyebeing formed of hard, smooth, vitreous material.

9. 'In a thread oryarn guide,-consisting of the combination of a springcarrying arm having a guide eye formed therein, an apron carrying armhaving a guide eye formed therein, and a spring having one end fixed tothe said s'pring arm audits free end nor: mally pressing againstthe'said apron carrymgarm and the yarn carried by saidapron carryingarm,-a yarn supporting and gu1d- 8. As an article of manufacture anelementsaid eyes, thesaid apron member consisting of -an apron portionhaving a substantially flat,

smooth vitreous surface intermediate the two said'eyes and contiguous,to the said apron arm eye, a nodule, having an'aperture formed therein,extending laterally from the said apron member into the said apron armeye and connected to the Walls of the said apron arm eye.

10. In a thread or yarn guide,--consisting of the combination of aspring carrying arm having a guide eye formed therein, an apron,

carrying arm having a guide eye formed therein, and a spring having oneend fixed to the said spring arm and its free end normally pressingagainst the said apron carrying arm andthe yarn carried by said aproncarrying arm,a yarn supporting and guiding apron,

comprising the bearing surface for the said yarnand spring, carried bythe said apron carrying arm intermediate the two said eyes, the saidapron member consisting of an apron portion having a substantially flat,smooth vitreous surface intermediate the two said eyes and contiguous tothe said apron arm eye, a nodule, having an aperture formed therein,extending laterally from the said apron member, into the ,said apron armeye and connected to the walls of the said apron arm eye, the end of theapron most distant from the said eye being provided with a rounded edgeextending transversely of the length of the apron over which and theapron the thread or yarn is guided to the said eye. In testimony ofwhich invention, I here unto set my hand.

7 FRIEDRICH ALZ.

